Flip Our Density
by auraRilou
Summary: This is a story about a 12-year-old boy... and his older brother, as they work their way through Quadwrangle Manor to try and rescue their Uncle from wherever he has ended up. Contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Quantum Conundrum's ending!
1. Only a Major Call

**Well, I've recently played Quantum Conundrum, and while it is somewhat short, it is still very good, with a solid plot and some... interesting puzzles. But, what if the protagonist, a (unnamed) 12-year-old boy, had someone else with him... an elder brother who normally helps out with Professor Quadwrangle and lives with him? How would this change how the duo tackles the problems, and just how will the endgame play out with two people? Plus, how can the protagonist survive falls which would normally kill a man? This, and some other questions, will be (most likely) answered (to the best of my ability) in Flip our Density.**

**Oh, and just to be warned: there are MAJOR spoilers for the ending of the game right off of the get-go. So if you don't want the ending spoiled, then hit that Back button right now.**

**...You still with me? Well, don't say I didn't warn you about the spoilers...**

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My family… is one heck of a curiosity. (Yes, I know these things normally start with 'once upon a time', but I'm the one telling the story!) I mean, we had a dwarf hunter who hunted dangerous animals in Africa, an astronaut who was on a (secret) mission to replace Sputnik with a basketball partway through said satellite's flight, a great grandmother who had an anglerfish as a pet… and then there's my uncle. Or, rather, my 'dad' – Professor Fitz Quadwrangle, owner of Quadwrangle Industries, and a brilliant, yet sometimes a bit too eccentric, inventor. While not many of his inventions or experiments are well known outside of the Quadwrangle family, there was one which, even now, still has its effects on the world as we know it: the Inter-Dimensional Shift Device, or IDS Device for short. You can possibly see the effects of the Device right now: should things suddenly turn fluffy, very heavy, very slow (or even very fast) or if gravity suddenly flips around you… Well, that's due to the Device.

I know what you're thinking – why is this happening, and is he doing anything to fix this? Well, I'll get to the former later on, as it's a long story, but as to the latter question… Yes, he is doing his utmost to fix this. As am I – Auro Quadwrangle, second eldest of the current Quadwrangle generation… and currently the only one who is known to be alive. Well, unless you count my younger brother, who is currently safe in a pocket dimension right now while we sort this mess out.

Anyway, to get back to your earlier question, the reason why this is happening is because of the UBER-IDS going haywire… and it all began yesterday evening, when we received a phone call…

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**Auro Vee presents**

**Based on the game directed by Kim Swift, developed by Airtight Games, and published by Square Enix**

**_Quantum Conundrum: Flip Our Density_**

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**Chapter 0: Only a Major Call**

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_T- 24 hours – Quadwrangle Manor, Main Hall_

It was getting to that time of year yet again, where my mother would go and take pity on me and my 'father' – thinking that we might be a bit lonely, only having each other for company for nearly all of the year… or, at least, that's what she claims (which is totally false by the way) – and pick up her son from the Eldwood Academy for Boys, before dropping him off on our doorstep. Now, the last few times, she did so without any warning for either of us, but today… was different.

You see, normally we kept mostly to ourselves, but after the last visit, my mother suggested that we have a phone line installed – which, eventually, we did get round to doing, and I even called her personally with the (only) phone in the manor, located in the Main Hall, to let her know about it. And so, once a week, we received a call from her, checking up on us. Although, whenever she tried to ask about what inventions we were working on, my dad… well, he wanted to keep things hush-hush, mainly due to his plan to give my brother a pleasant surprise when he visited.

Anyway, it was a peaceful Thursday afternoon: my dad was finishing up work on his latest invention, while I was coding on my laptop in the main hall – I will admit that the idea of having a phone line, and therefore some Internet access so that I could communicate with others, had crossed my mind, but I never managed to tell my dad about it properly until my mother made the suggestion.

I had nearly ironed out the bug I had in the simulation of something related to my dad's work, when the phone rang. And believe me, in a manor as empty as ours, the sound of a phone reaches quite a distance. Just not far enough to reach the Prof's ears – although it most likely picked up on the security system, as I heard the familiar voice of my dad over the manor's comm system moments later.

"Could you, uh, pick the phone up for me? I'm kinda busy right now… and remember, if it's her, don't say a thing about the Device," he told me.

"No problem, Professor," I replied, before walking up to the phone and picking it up. "Quadwrangle Residence, Auro speaking," I greeted.

"Auro! It's so good to hear your voice," the voice on the other end replied with a hint of shock. "Although I need to speak to your Uncle ASAP."

"He's… kinda busy at the moment. Do you want me to give him a message?"

"No, it's about the plans. I… have an important surgery going on this time next week, so I won't be able to bring your brother over then…"

"Well, that's a bit of a bummer," I replied, feigning sadness when, in fact, I was happy. It sounded like we would have more…

"…so I'm bringing him over tomorrow instead," she finished, interrupting my thought and bursting my bubble.

"You WHAT?!" I shouted.

"Wait, what's going on?" my dad asked through the comm system.

After regaining composure, I then asked, "So, if I heard you right, you want to bring my brother over tomorrow…?"

"At 2PM sharpish. Apparently they are having a half-day then, so I'll be able to bring him over then."

"At 2PM… Well, this is sudden…"

"True, but at least it's not as sudden as the last few years…" my mother pointed out.

"Yeah, I know."

"Good. I'll see you both at that time, then!" my mom replied, before hanging up.

After putting the phone down, I sighed. If we would be able to get everything ready in time for when he arrived was the first thought which went through my head. Nearly everything was set up, though, so I figured it wouldn't be too much of a problem getting everything set up. But little did we or anyone else know, was that by that time tomorrow… the UBER-IDS would go critical and the changes which you can see happening right now would begin effecting the entire world.

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Mom… If you are reading this, don't worry. Me and dad will fix this, and so you can be reunited with your son. Just… Hang on in there, will you? I don't want to lose you, like we lost Billy… Also, give Grandad Wilford my love as well.

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**Author Explanations for this chapter:**

**Explanation regarding the story title - Flip Our Density is a combination of two of the titles of the songs in the soundtrack: Flip a Switch (of which the instrumental version is the title screen music) and It's Our Density, which is most likely a play on 'It's our Destiny'.****  
**

**Explanation regarding the chapter title - The final part of Quantum ****Conundrum is known as 'Only a Minor Setback', but the main part of this chapter is a phone call which ends up changing Auro's brother's life forever. Hence, 'Only a Major Call'.**

_******T-**_******notes - These are here to give you a sense of how long is left until the 'incident' which is explained at the beginning of the story. T- 0 is when the 'incident' happens - this story is technically written from the point of view of Auro at T+ 1 hour (at least, he started it then) with the occasional remark which is either directed towards his father, or which he felt needed to be said even though it possibly doesn't add much to the story...**


	2. Lost Luggage, Lockdown Found

**Well, I'm currently a bit in a rut in terms of fanfiction writing, but I have prepped this chapter earlier, in the hopes of posting it once a bit more interest had been generated. But, to ease the wait before the next chapters of VfB, PotK and/or another new story - I know, starting up this many stories may mean that some of them may be left out for some time... Anyway, I'm going to post the first proper chapter of the story now, where the events of the game start to kick off...**

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**Chapter 1: Lost Luggage, Lockdown Found**

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_T- 5 hours, 45 minutes – Quadwrangle Estate, Auro's House_

The next morning, I yawned as I woke up to see the sun high in the sky thanks to my attic-like bedroom, on the top floor of the house I was living in. Mainly as the manor had been converted so that there wasn't that much living space. Sadly, the wifi and phone line doesn't extend to my place, so I have to rely on a digital clock and the sun to tell what the time was… and when I saw that it was past midday, I started to panic a bit. There was no way I'd be able to get dressed, have brunch, and get there with enough time to help out my father with the final tuning, but I had over an hour and a half until my brother was due to be dropped off.

So, with that in mind, I got ready for the day ahead, getting smart and clean clothes on, having a hearty Full English – which I cooked myself – and then just before I left my place, I put on the glove which was tailored to fit my hand. I knew what it would allow me to do, but hopefully I wouldn't need to use it much, barring helping to demonstrate to my brother the invention we were going to show off this time. Hopefully, it would be much more successful than most of the other times…

The first time he was sent here, when my brother was only one, the Prof tried to show off Joan the Jett Pack, only to burn up the dummy which my brother had by accident – meaning I had to get a replacement one for him before he left – and… well, the hover function of the jetpack had some major bugs. The next time, when my brother was only three, the Prof showed off Freezey Ray Vaughan… although some of the ice impaled the stuffed bear which he had. After three more visits, my mother chose to send him to us every year, rather than every other year… which resulted in last year's invention being a bit rushed. Thankfully, it kinda worked… however, it had grafted to both me and my brother's legs, meaning we can fall much further than a normal human and survive… as long as we land on our feet. That was one of the other reasons why we needed the phone installed – so that if any complications arose with my brother's legs, we would know as soon as possible.

Anyway, by the time I entered the manor, it was nearly 2PM… and there was no sign of my dad. And so I waited…

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_T- 4 Hours (2PM) – Quadwrangle Manor, Main Entrance_

…And on the stroke of 2PM, the door opened, and with a strong shove, my brother was pushed through the door, before his luggage was tossed in. And, before I could call out to my mother, the door shut.

…Typical. Despite the instillation of the phone, she refuses to enter the manor except to pick up my brother on the Sunday right after dropping him off, giving us two days with him.

Anyway, once he saw me, he ran up to me and gave me a hug, muttering, "Big bro!"

"Hey little brother. Are things going well back at school?" I asked.

My brother nodded. True, he was shy, and didn't like to talk much…

"Make any new friends?" I then asked, to which he shook his head.

"Not really…"

"Ah, I see… Well, hopefully Dad'll be here soon…"

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_T- 3 hours, 50 minutes_

After a while, which was about ten minutes, give or take a few seconds, I sighed, before tapping something on my glove to turn on the comm system in the entrance hall, and then I heard the familiar voice of my dad, working on something.

"…see here, if I configure the transdimensional velocity regulator at approximately nought-point-eight-eight-seven microseconds past the…"

I cleared my throat. "Dad…"

"Oh! Don't tell me that he's here?" he replied, a bit shocked.

"Yes, dad, he's here now."

"Really? Oh, how time flies! Anyway, I have the most incredible invention to show you this visit," the Prof noted. "But, I'm a bit…"

And then there was a crashing sound, combined with my dad going 'Oomph!', before he carried on with, "…indisposed at the moment. Anyway, Auro'll help you take your luggage into the foyer, and I'll be with you as soon as I can."

I sighed, before picking up my brother's luggage case. "Well… I guess you know how to get in by now?" I asked him.

He nodded, before walking up to the door and pressing the button, opening it up. And then, the two of us walked into the hallway leading to the foyer, before my dad cursed, "Ah! You confounded machine!" And then the ground shook a bit, with another 'Oomph!' from the prof, before he questioned, "What was that?"

I shrugged. "I don't know – felt like some kind of tremor, though," was the response I gave.

"Oh, how entirely frustrating! Anyway, there should be a safety release for the door up there somewhere," the Prof noted, and I noticed where it was – which was out of reach for my brother to press. So, I went and put the luggage down, but then my brother pointed at the luggage, and then at the corner.

"…Wait, are you thinking…?"

He nodded, and as soon as I put it down, and my father noted, "Now where on earth did I put that…" my brother jumped onto the luggage, and then jumped into the air, just about being able to hit the button.

As soon as the button was pressed, and the door to the lobby opened up, my father noted, "Wait a minute… Something doesn't feel quite right here." And… Well, I had a bad feeling as well, as if something bad was about to happen, as we walked into the lobby.

And then… "Oh! No no no, no no no no no… NO!"

"DAD?!" I cried out.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

"DAD! Are you…?!"

But before I could finish the sentence, I felt it – a _Quantum Shift_ – and for a short while, the stuff all around us started to rise into the air, as if gravity had reversed. And then, another _Quantum Shift_ caused time to slow down, before a third turned everything fluffy. And then a fourth turned everything into metal, and then a fifth turned things back to normal… except the luggage I was carrying before the _Quantum Shifts_ happened was… gone. And then, another two waves of five shifts happened, before the shutters of the mansion triggered.

"…Great, we're in lockdown now," I noted, before hearing something from my glove.

"Wait… What just happened? Because I'm… not entirely sure where I am right now… But, the security uplink still seems to work, so I can still see you two and…"

"Yeah, we can hear you, Dad."

"Ah! It seems like I can still tap into the Intercom system."

"Um… You're talking through my Device, dad. Not the Intercom system…"

"Well… I guess that's better than nothing… Anyway. What in the world is your brother doing here? Was he supposed to be here today?"

"Yeah, he…" I started, before my dad cut me off.

"No matter – because judging for the current underwhelming amount of light in this room, we're still on backup power."

"Yeah… Anyway, how are you dad?" I then asked, worried about him and what happened.

"Urg… My head is killing me… It seems as though I now possess a rather large epidural hematoma."

"A bump on the head? Well, if I knew where you were, I'd try and help out…"

"Anyway… Do us a favour, and head to the Main Hall."

"You want me to try and restart the power grid, dad?"

"Well… It's the only way to end the lockdown."

"True that. Come on, brother, this way," I replied, before showing him towards the Main Hall.

As we did so, Fitz mused, "Last I remember, I was in the new technologies sector, and then… I don't know. But I do think the fail-safe was tripped _accidentally_."

"Yeah, right(!)" my brother replied. The sarcasm was literally dripping in his voice.

Eventually, we entered the Main Hall, and I went into Fitz's office, with my brother following me. I then pulled the lever on the breaker switch, and…

"Well… That wasn't as effective as I'd hoped," my dad noted, as only a few lights activated from flipping the breaker. "It looks like you'll have to reactivate the generators in each sector to lift the current lockdown. Just… ugh, give your brother the glove in the container, and tell him to put it on."

"Wait, you can't be seriously…?!"

"Yeah. I wish you could see my facial expression right now, as I am _not_ pleased."

"True that. Anyway… That is an early prototype of the **Inter-Dimensional Shift Device**, like the one I'm wearing right now – or **IDS Device** for short," I explained, as I passed the Device over to my brother.

"Thanks for that help," my dad replied unamused. "Anyway, it's one piece of my latest invention which should come in _handy_."

I groaned while my brother put on the device on his hand. "Dad… Enough of the puns for right now. Anyway, where's the nearest generator which we can access?"

"Well… It seems as if the breaker unlocked the Blue Wing, at least – so you two might as well start there first."

"That's a good idea. Start with what we have unlocked, and work our way through until we reach the generators at the end of each wing."

"Yeah… Oh, and you might want to turn on your own IDS Device's _Quantum Whiteshift_ function, just in case," he added.

"True that. I mean, we don't want to accidently end up no longer able to help…" I noted, before flipping the switch for the Whiteshift function on.

"Um… What's that?" my brother asked.

"Hopefully, I won't need to tell you," I explained, before we walked out of the office and towards the now-open door to the Blue Wing. "Anyway… Let's go and find that generator."

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**Author Explanations for this chapter:**

**Explanation regarding the chapter title - This chapter title plays on the name of a place where lost items go, the Lost and Found - and in this case, the Protagonist (Auro's little brother) lost his luggage... and found out that moments later, that a Lockdown came into effect.**

**The most recent invention, barring the IDS Device, is used to handwave the fact that, later on, the duo can fall huge distances without being harmed. At least Fitz won't have to worry about them splatting onto the floor when it comes to entering Only a Minor Setback Part II.**

**'Quantum Shifts' are what Auro calls the (mainly uncontrolled) shifts between dimensions. **

**Also, from now on, 'room sets' may be named after the title of the puzzle which took place in it during Quantum Conundrum.**


End file.
